Typewriting machine



]. WALDHEIM.

TYPEWRITING MACHINE.

I APPLICATION FILED ALGJ, 1919. 1 ,425,921 Patented Aug. 15, 1922.

3 SHEETSSHEET I- J. WALDHE IM.

TYFEWRITING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.7,19I9.

1,425,921, Patented Aug. 15, 1922.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

J. WALDHEIM.

TYPEWRITING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED AUG.7, 1919. I 425 921 I Patented Aug. 15, 1922.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

. various lines.

umreo STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN WALDHEIM, OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, ASSIG-NOR TO UNDERWOOD- TYPE- WRITER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

TYPEWRITING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug 15, 1922 Application filed August 7, 1919. Serial No. 315,819.

To all whoin it may concern:

Be it known that I, JoHN WVALD EIM, a citizen of the United States, residing in Elizabeth, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Typewriting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

.This invention relates to typewriting machines, and especially to means for rapidly and selectively positioning the platen carriage in any one of a plurality of positions.

The invention may be used toposition the carriage at the initial writing positions of For example, in addressing envelopes, the name, street, and city usually begin at different letter-space positions, the initial writing positions of the various lines being in step-like formation.

In carrying out the invention, three keys are provided, namely, a street key, a name key and a city key, any one of which, when actuated, renders the carriagereturning mechanism effective to return the carriage to the proper position.

A settable stop member is provided to cooperate with a counter-stop to arrest the carriage in the various letter-space positions. The stop is normally effective'to arrest the carriage at its extreme. righthand position for the initial writing position for the name. To bring the carriage to this position, the operative actuates the name key, thereby returning the carriage until it is arrested automatically at the proper point, when the carriage-returning means is automatically rendered ineffective. After the name is typed, the operative proceeds to position the carriage by depressing the street key, etc. The street key and the city key are ef-' fective to return the carriage and also to vary the position of the settable stop mem-- her, so that the carriage may be varlably arrested according to the key actuated.

Provision is made to retain the stop member in its set position, so that the key may return'to its normal position while the carriage is returning. When the carriage is arrested in its returned position, the retaining means is automatically rendered ineffective. Line-space means is provided for the platen, which be under the control of the various keys to be actuated simultaneously with the returning of the carriage to the various positions.

The carriage-returning mechanism maykeep the motor running until the carriage is arrested at the proper position, when the switch-controlling member is automatically released to open the switch to stop the motor.

The invention may also be used to facilitate typing a work-sheet, such as a letter. For this purpose, the name key may position the carriage at the beginning of the new writing lines, except the first line of each paragraph for which the street key may be used. r

A side edge gage is provided, which may be set to properly position an envelope relatively to the platen. The gage is settable to another position to assist in properly platen.

Other features and advantages will here inafter appear.

Y In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a skeleton perspective view of an Underwood typewriting machine, showing the invention applied thereto, the various parts being in their normal positions.

Figure 2 is a sectional side elevation of the machine, showing the parts in their normal positions.

Figure 3 is a skeleton View similar to Figure 2, with some of the parts omitted and the name key depressed.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary front view, showing the settable stop member in a position to arrest the carriage in the first or name position.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3,

and shows the street key depressed. Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 4, and

.shows the stop member set to arrest the carriage in the street or second, position.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the counter-stop, showing it partly disassembled.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the settable stop member about to engage the counter-stop.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary top plan view, showing the relation of the carriage-return keys and the keys in the keyboard of the machine.

Type keys 15, when depressed, swing key levers 16 about a common pivot 17 against return-springs 18, to actuate bell-cranks 20 and swing type-bars 21 about a common pivot 22, to cause types 23 to print against the front side of a platen 24 rotatably supported on a carriage 25. The carriage may be drawn from right to left of the machine 7 by a spring drum 26, connected to the carriage to feed it from one letter-space position to another on a main frame 27, during the typing operations.

The movements of the carriage 25 may be controlled by escapement mechanism, comprising an escapement wheel 28 having the usual one-way pawl connection with a pinion 30 with which a pivoted feed-rack 31 on the carriage engages. As the typebars 21 approach the printing point, heels 32 thereon engage a universal bar 33 to move a frame 34 rearwardly and cause a crossbar 35 to move a dog-rocker 36 against a return-spring (not shown). A loose dog 37 and a fixed dog 38 on said dog-rocker 36 are thus reciprocated between teeth 40 on the escapement wheel 28 to cause the carriage to feed single letter-space distances at each reciprocation of said dogs.

An envelope and a work-sheet may be introduced to the platen over a paper-table 43, (Figure 1), on the carriage 25. The platen may be rotated, to feed the envelope or the work-sheet to the printing point, by

, the usual finger-wheels 44, (Figure 1), on a platen shaft 45 or by a line-space lever 46, (Figure 1).

The line-space lever 46 may be moved about a pivot 47, and is provided with a projection or toe 48 to actuate a line-spaceslide' 50 against the tension of a return-spring 51. The slide 50 has pivotally mounted thereon a pawl 52 to actuate a line-space wheel 53 secured to the platen-shaft 45, to rotate the platen 24 from one line-space position to another. The distances between the writing lines may be varied as in the Underwood machine.

The carriage may be automatically returned and the platen line-spaced by means under the control of any one of the three keys 54, 55, and 56 bearing the designations Name, Street andfCity, respectively.

. Said means may comprise an electric motor 57, which may be like that shown in the patent to Kupetz, 1,186,516, dated June 6, 1916, connected in a circuit comprising conductors 58 and 59 having a plug 61 which may be connected to a source of electric current. A normally open switch 62, comprising a pivoted member and a fixed contact or terminal 64, is connected in the motor circuit. Said switch may be closed by the actuation of any one of the keys 54, and 56, to start the motor 57 and wind up a strap or band 65, one end of which is connected to a drum or pulley 66 secured to the motor shaft 67; the other end being connected to actuate a link 68. The strap 65 is suitably guided over rollers 70 and 71 on a bracket 72 secured to the main frame 27, and a roller 73 on a bracket 74 secured to the motor 57. The link 68, when actuated by the strap 65, moves a slide 75 rightwardly against the tension of a return-spring 76; the slide being guided in a lug 77 on the carriage 25, and provided with a projection or hook 78 to engage with and actuatethe line-space lever 46 to line-space the platen 24. The carriage is then returned to its initial writing position of a new line where it may be arrested by any one of three stops 80, 81 and 82 on a-stop member 83, pivoted at 84 on the carriage 25, and adapted to co-operate with a counter-stop or margin gage 85, which will hereinafter be more clearly described.

To close the switch, the keys 54, 55, and 56, when depressed, individually swing levers 86, 87 and 88, respectively, about a common pivot 90 to cause downwardly projecting arms 91 to engage with a projection 92 on a bar or switch-controlling slide 93, to move the latter rearwardly against the tension of a return-spring 94. The switch-controlling slide 93 is suitably guided in brackets 95, and is provided at its rear end with a finger '96 engaging a projection 97 on the-pivoted member 63 of the switch 62. As the slide 93 moves rearwardly, the finger 96 moves away from the projection 97, thus permitting a spring 98 to actuate the pivoted member 63 to close the switch 62 in the motor circuit, consequently rendering the motor 57 effective to line-space the platen 24 and return the carriage 25, as previously described. The key-levers 86, 87 and 88 are returned to their normal positions by return springs 100, and arrested by a stop 101.

The motor-circuit is locked in its effective position until the latter part of the return movement of the carriage, when the switch each key is provided with a cam 103 to engage with-a pin 104 projecting laterally from an arm 105, to swing said arm about the axis of a rock-shaft 106 to which said arm is secured. The arm 105 is provided with a finger 107 engaging a projection or pin 108 on the holding pawl 102, so that, as the arm 105 is swung rearwardly by any one of the cams 103, it permits the holding pawl 102' to be swung about its pivot 110, into effective relation with the switch-controlling slide 93 by means of a spring 111. The slide 93 is then moved rearwardly by the downwardly projecting arm 91 until a tooth or projection 112 on the slide snaps in back of the holding pawl 102. It will be seen that theoperator may'now let go of" the actuated key to permit it to return to its normal position, while the switch 62 remains closed. A detent 113, (Figure 2), is provided on the end of the rock-shaft 106 to hold the arm 105 in its actuated position.

When the carriage approaches its initial writing position, one of the stops 80, 81 or 82, according to the setting of the stop member 83, engages with an actuating member 114, (Figures 7 and 8), pivoted at 115 on the margin-gage 85 to swing said actuating member against a return-spring 116, (Figure 8). The actuating member 114 is provided with a cam 117 (Figure 7) to engage with and actuate an arm or co-operating member 118 splined to the shaft 106, to rock the latter to restore the arm 105 to its normal position, thus causing the finger 107 toactuate the holding pawl 102 and release the switch-controlling slide 93. The latter is then returned to its normal position by the return-spring 94 to open the switch 62, consequently stopping the motor. It should be understood that the arm 118 is normally out of engaging relation with the pivoted member 114 on the margin-stop 85, and that as the downwardly projecting arm 105 is ac tuated by the keys, the arm118 is swung into effective relation with the cam 117 of the pivoted member 114. It should also be understood that the margin-gage is slidingly supported on the rock-shaft 106 and a bar 121, and is adjustable relatively to the carriage 25, with the co-operatinu member or arm 118 on the rock-shaft.

The stop member 83 normally occupies the position shown in Figures 1, and 4, so that the first stop may engage with the marginrgage or counter-stop when the return of the carriage 25 is effected by the depression of the name key 54 to arrest the carriage in its first position; in other words, the position for writing the name. A spring 122 engages with the stop-member 83 to hold a projection 119 thereon against a bail 123 pivoted on the rock-shaft 106. The bail 123 is provided with a downwardly projecting arm 124, which is normally held against. a

stop pin 125 by a return-spring 126. The bail 123 may be variably actuated to set the stop member 83 to render any one of the stops 81 and 82 effective. For this purpose, the levers or key-actuated devices 87 and'88, under the control of the street and city keys 55 and 56, respectively, are provided with cams 127 and 128 to engage a pin or projection 130 on the arm 124, to actuate the latter and raise the bail 123, and thereby swing the stop member to render the second stop 81 or the third stop 82 effective. After the stop 81 is set, the switch 62 is closed, as hereinbefore described, to start the motor 57 and return the carriage, but this time to the beginning of the second line. The cam 128 on the lever 88, (Figure 2), is shaped to ac tuate the bail 123 through a greater distance than the cam 127, to set the stop member to render the stop 82 effective.

It should be understood that the linespacing of the platen 24 takes place each time the carriage is brought to an initial writing position.

Provision is made to lock the bail 123 in any one of its actuated positions to retain the stop member 83 in its set position, thus permitting the key to return to its normal position. For this purpose, there is provided a latch 131, which is normally held ineffective by a toe 132 on the arm secured to the rock-shaft 106. As this arm 105, when actuated by one of the cams 127, 128, as pre viously described, moves the toe 132 out of engagement with a pin 133 on the latch 131, a spring 134 causes said-latch to bear against the lower end or toe 135 of the downwardly projecting arm 124. When the street key 55 is actuated, the arm 124 moves rearwardly, thus permitting the lower end 135 105 thereof to snap into a notch 136 in the latch, (Figure 5). When the stop member 83 engages with the counter-stop 85 to rock the shaft 106and swing the arm 105 to its normal position, as hereinbefore described, a cam 137 on the toe 132 engages the pin 133 on said latch 131 to swing said latch out o holding relation with the arm 105 on the bail 123, thus permitting the spring 126 to restore said bail to its normal position. The 11 stop member 83 is at the same time returned to its normal position, (Figure 4), by the spring 122. The latch 131 is provided with a second notch 138 to lock the bail 123, andconsequently retain the stop member 83 when it is set by the citykey 56.

I have found it advantageous to arrange the keys 54, 55 and 56 in stepped formation, (Figures 1 and 9), to correspond with the stepped formation of the name, street, and 12!! city on the e'nvelope 41. Withthis arrangement, the designations Name, Street and City on the various keys maybe omitted.

The envelopes may be located lengthwise of the platen by a side edge HO, ad-

justably mounted on the paper-table and settable to a mark l-ll bearing the designa tion .llnvelope" on said paper-table.

The invention may also be used to post tion the worksheet. When the work-sheet is to be typed, however, the gage lat) is moved to another mark 1&2, bearing the designation Letter, on the paper table. This is done to decrease the distance from the edge of the paper to the first printing position; in other words, decrease the margin on the left-hand side of the work-sheet as compared with the margin on the envelope which is much greater than that in a letter. lVhen typing a work-sheet, such as a letter, the various keys may be actuated in their proper order for typing the name, street and city. The name key 54 may then be actuated to position the carriage to type Dear sir, and for the beginning of all of the lines excepting the first in each paragraph, for which purpose the street key be used.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a typwriting machine, in combination, a carriage constantly urged in the letter-feeding direction, escapement mechanism whereby the movement of the carriage may be controlled, carriage-returning means, means to check the carriage at different predetermined positions in the re turn movement thereof, and means variably operable manually to start said carriage-returning means and to control the action of the checking means in accordance with the operation of said starting means.

2. In a typewriting machine. in combination, a carriage constantly urged in the letter-feeding direction, escapement mechanism for controlling the movement of the carriage, a plurality of keys, carriage-returning means startable by any of said keys, and means variably controlled in accordance with the keys operated to vary the positions at which the carriage will be arrested.

3. In a typewriting machine, the co??- bination of a carriage constantly urge it one direction, escapement mechanism to ccntrol the movement of the carriage, carriage-returning means, a main frame on which said carriage may travel, key-actuated devices on said main frame to cause said carriage-returning means to operate, and mechanism, including means settable on said carriage in accordance With the keya -tuated devices operated, to vary the positions at which said carriage will be arrested.

4. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a carriage,carriage-returning means,

a main frame on which said carriage may travel, key-actuated devices on said main frame, cams associated with said key-actuated devices, a bail on said main frame actuable by said cams, and settable means on said carriage, under the control of said ball, to vary the position at which said carriage may be arrested.

In a typewriting machine, in combination, a carriage constantly urged in the letter-feeding direction, type-keys, type key-actuated escapementmechanism whereby the movement of the carriage in the letter-feeding direction may be controlled, carriage-returning means, keyactuated devices e'tlective to start said carriage-returning means, means settable by said devices to arrest the carriage in ditlerent positions in accordance with the devices actuated, and means actuable by the settable means torelieve the carriage from the action of said carriage-returning means.

6. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a carriage, carriage-returning means, a main frame on which said carriage may travel, key-actuated devices on said main frame to start said carriage-returning means, settable means on said carriage, under the control of said key-actuated devices, to vary the position at which said carriage may be arrested, coope 'ating means engageagle by said settable means, and means actuable by said co-operating means to stop said carriage-returning means and release the carriage from the action thereof.

7. In a typewritin machine, the combination of a letter-fl zeding carriage, carriage-returning means, a main frame on which said carriage may travel, key-actuted devices on said main frame to start said carriage-returning means, a stepped stop member pivoted on said carriage, an element to set said stop member, said element being actuable by said key-actuated devices, and an adjustable margin gage engageable by said stop member.

8. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a letter-feeding carriage, carriage returning means, a mam frame on which said carriage may travel, key-actuated devices on said main frame, cams associated with said key-actuated devices, a bail, set-table means on said carriage actuable by said bail to vary the position at which said carriage may be arrested, a margin gage engageable by said settable means, and means on said margin gage to relieve the carriage from the urging of said carriagereturning means.

9. In a typeWrit-ing machine, in combina tion, a carriage constantly urged in the letter-feeding direction, typekeys, key-actuated escapement mechanism for controlling the movement of the carriage in the letter-feeding direction, carriage-returning means, key-actuated devices to start said .rality carriage-returning means, a margin-gage, an element settable by said devices to cooperate with said margin-gage to arrest the carriage in various positions in accordance with the devices actuated, and means on said margin-gage actuable by the settable element to stop the action of said carriagereturning means on said carriage.

10. In a type-writing machine, the combi nation of a letter-feeding carriage, carriagereturning means, means, including a pluof keys, to render said carriage-returning means effective, a bail actuable by said keys, means to be variably set by said bail to vary the position at which said carriage may be arrested, and locking means for said bail to retain the settable means in any one of its set positions.

11. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a letter-feeding carriage, carriagereturning means, key-actuated devices to render said carriage-returning means effective, means to be variably set by said keyactuated devices to vary the position at which said carriage may be arrested, and locking means to retain the settable means in any one of its set positions, said locking means to be rendered effective by the actuation of any one of said keyactuated devices.

12. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a carriage, carriage'returning means, a main frame on which said carriage may travel, key-actuated devices on said main frame to start said carriagereturning means, settable means on said carriage under the control of saidkey-actuated devices to Vary the position at which said carriage may be arrested, a margin gage engageable by said settable means, locking means for said settable means, said locking means being rendered effective'by said key-actuated devices, and means on said margin gage to release said locking means and stop the action of said carriagereturning means on said carriage.

18. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a carriage constantly urged in the letter-feeding direction, type-keys, typekey-controlled escapement mechanism for controlling the movement of the carriage in the letter-feeding direction, carriagereturning means, devices actuated by said keys to cause said carriage-returning means to operate, means settable by said devices to arrest the carriage in various positions in accordance with the devices actuated, means to detain the settable means in any one of the positions to which it may be set, and means actuable by the settable means, upon the arrest of the carriage, for releasing the settable means from said detaining means.

14. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a carriage constantly urged in the letter-feeding direction, escapement mechanism to control the movement ofthe carriage in the letter-feeding direction, a platen on said carriage, line-spacing means for said platen, a motor connected with said line-spacing means, key-actuated devices to energize said motor to actuate the line spacing means and thereby effect a re turn movement of the carriage, and means settable by said key-actuated devices Whereby the carriage, during its return movement, will be arrested in any one of a plurality of positions in accordance with the key-actuated device operated.

15. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a letter-feeding carriage, carriagereturning means, means, including a key, to start said carriage-returning means, a margin gage, variably settable means to engage with said margin gage to vary the position at which the carriage may be arrested, locking means for said settable means, and means on said margin gage to release said locking means.

16. In a typewrlting machine, the combination of a letter-feeding carriage, carriagereturning means, means, including a key, to start said carriage-returning means, a margin gage, variably settable means to en gage with said margin gage to vary the position at which the carriage may be arrested, locking means for the settable means, and means on said margin gage to release said locking means and to stop the action of said carriage-returning means.

17 In a typewriting machine, the combination of a carriage, a platen on said carriage, line-spacing mechanism for said platen, a motor, key-actuated devices to render said motor effective to return said carriage and actuate the line-spacing mechanism, and means by which the carriage in its return movement may be selectively positioned in any one of a plurality of positions, said means comprising a stop member settable by said key-actuated devices and a counter stop for said stop member.

18. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a letter-feeding carriage, a main,

frame upon which the carriage may travel,

position said bail to cause the stops on the lever to selectively engage said margin stop.

20. In a typewriting machine,the combination of a carriage, a motor to return said carriage, a main frame on which said carriage may travel, key-actuated devices on said main frame to start said motor, and settable means on said carriage under the control of said key-actuated devices to vary the position at which said carriage may be arrested.

21. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a carriage, a motor to return said carriage, a main frame on which said carriage may travel, key-actuated devices on said main frame, cams associated with said key-actuated devices, a baii on said main frame actuable by said cams, settable means on said carriage under the control of said bail to vary the position at which said carriage may be arrested. and a switch to be closed by said key-actuated devices to start said motor.

22. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a letter-feeding carriage, a motor to return said carriage, a switch for said motor, means, including a key, to close said switch to start said motor, means to be variably set to vary the position at which the carriage may be arrested, and means to open said switch to stop said motor.

23. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a carriage, a motor to return said carriage, a switch for said motor, amain frame on which said carriage may travel, key-actuated devices on said main frame to close said switch to start said motor, settable means on said carriage under the control of said key-actuated devices to vary the position at which said carriage may be arrested, co-operating means engageable by said settable means, and means actuable by said cooperatin means to open said switch to stop said motor.

24. in a typewriting machine, the combinationof a lettenfeeding carriage, a main frame, a scttable stepped stop member on said carriage, a counter-stop on the main frame, an intermediate element, keys to actuate said intermediate element to set said stepped stop member, and propelling means for said carriage under the control of said keys to position the carriage after the stepped stop member has been set.

25. In a typewriting machine, the combination of carriage, a settable stepped stop, a counter-stop, a bail, keys, cams actuablc by said keys to move said bail variable distances to set said stepped stop, and propelling means for said carriage, under the control. of said keys, to position the carriage after the stepped stop has been set.

26. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a carriage, a main frame, a settable stepped stop member on said carriage, a counter-stop on said main frame, a bail, an intermediate element, keys, cams actuable by said keys to move said bail variable distances to set said stepped stop member, and propelling means for said carriage, under the control of said keys, to position the carriage after the stepped stop member has been set.

27. The combination of a letter-feeding carriage, a margin stop therefor, a rock shaft on which said margin stop is mounted, a member splined to said rock shaft and adjustable with said margin stop, an element on said margin stop to be actuated by said carriage, said element being effective to actuate the member on said rock shaft and a motor under the control of said rock shaft.

JOHN VVALDHEIM.

Witnesses:

MARION R. MoCArrnEr, GATHERINE A. NEWELL. 

